The present invention relates to a berley dispenser.
Berley dispensers are used by fishermen to attract fish towards the fishing vessel or location where they are fishing. Different forms of berley are used depending on the type of fish to be attracted. For example, the berley may include commercial berley pellets, chopped meat, chopped fish, small bait fish or various combinations thereof.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved berley dispenser.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a berley dispenser including a container having a removable lid, a rod extending through said lid and into said container, a plunger secured to said rod and arranged to be located within said container so that said container, lid and plunger define a chamber for receiving berley, and wherein during use relative movement between said container and said rod causes berley to be dispersed through at least one aperture formed in said container or said lid.
Preferably, cutting means is provided on the plunger and/or on an underside of the lid. The cutting means are arranged so that berley received in said chamber sis cut, chopped or ground by said cutting means as a consequence of the relative movement between said container and said rod. Relative movement between said container and said rod is preferably due to the wave action and/or movement of the vessel to which the berley dispenser is secured. Preferably, cutting means is provided on both the plunger and on the underside of the lid.
In a preferred embodiment, the rod extends through an aperture in the lid, through the container and through an aperture formed in a lower end of the container. The rod is arranged to move in a direction parallel to its longitudinal axis so that said plunger is effectively caused to drive or pump up and down within the container. This up and down movement of the plunger causes the berley within the chamber to come into contact with the cutting means to effect cutting, chopping or grinding of the berley.
The upper end of the rod is arranged to be secured to an attachment line so that the berley dispenser can, for example, be secured to a fishing boat or the like.
The lower end of the rod is preferably fitted with a clip, pin or other device so as to prevent the rod from pulling back through the aperture in the lower end of the container. The clip, pin or other device is preferably removable so that the rod can be readily disassembled from the container.
The lower end of the rod is preferably arranged so that a weight can be attached thereto.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one resistor means is provided on the container. The resistor means is arranged to resist movement of the container relative to the rod, so that the rod is caused to move up and down relative to the container.
The resistor means may comprise at least one fin extending from the container, in one particularly preferred arrangement, the resistor means includes a peripheral flange extending about the lower end of the container. The flange has an upwardly projecting peripheral wall.
The container is preferably a tubular cylindrical container and is ideally made from a plastics material. The lid may be hinged to the container, arranged for threaded connection thereto or arranged to be secured to the container by at least one catch or the like. The lid is preferably also made from a plastics material.
The rod is preferably cylindrical and is preferably made from a material such as aluminium that will not rust.
The container preferably includes a plurality of apertures for enabling release of the berley.
The cutting means preferably includes a plurality of sharp projections or teeth. The cutting means are preferably made from a material that will not rust. In one embodiment each of the cutting means is formed from a section of gang nail plate secured to the upperside of the plunger and/or a section of gang nail plate attached to the underside of the lid.